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  • Thank Goodness It's Monday - April 6, 2026

    April 6, 2026 3 Year District Vision: All students will meet or exceed grade level standards Views from the District & Community A recap of views can be found on my X feed @ShawnParkhurst and Instagram @windsorlockssuperintendent, or by visiting our WLPS website at wlps.org (note: scroll to the bottom of the main page). A few of the highlights of these views can also be seen below:   Staff, Student, & Community Spotlight Shout out to WLHS NHS for hosting the “Senior Prom” at Stonebrook last week. Congratulations to the Girls Flag Football team on their first game win! Thank you to our WLHS Administration, Greg Weigert and our facilities crew, and various members of our community for making the Bradley Road Race a huge success. Shout out to Ms. Ondrush and the culinary students for an incredible culinary dinner.   The Week Ahead   Bright Spot When students lead the conversation, families lean in. What happens when students become the bridge between school and home? This article (linked here) is a great reminder that sometimes the most impactful communication doesn’t come from us, it comes from our students.

    Monday, Apr 06 2026

  • Thank Goodness It's Monday - March 30, 2026

    March 30, 2026 3 Year District Vision: All students will meet or exceed grade level standards Views from the District & Community A recap of views can be found on my X feed @ShawnParkhurst and Instagram @windsorlockssuperintendent, or by visiting our WLPS website at wlps.org (note: scroll to the bottom of the main page). A few of the highlights of these views can also be seen below:   Staff, Student, & Community Spotlight Congratulations to the following students who were selected to present their artwork in this year’s Windsor Locks Art Council Art Show: Sharnaz Quader (K), Fatimah Umair (grade 1), Sharfan Quader (grade 2), Ismael Diaz (grade 3), Holly O’Hagan (grade 4), Reeva Patel (grade 5), Nyomi Medina (grade 7), Connor Claffey (grade 8), Paulina Dekhtyar (grade 8), Salma Al-Bess (grade 9), Victoria Bukowinski (grade 10), Fatimah Al-Bess (grade 12), Alina Zhao (grade 12). Special thanks to all that made SAT Day ‘26  a huge success.     The Week Ahead   Bright Spot April is here, and it’s a great time to remember that the "big" wins are often built on the smallest moments. 

    Monday, Mar 30 2026

  • Thank Goodness It's Monday - March 23, 2026

    March 23, 2026 3 Year District Vision: All students will meet or exceed grade level standards Views from the District & Community A recap of views can be found on my X feed @ShawnParkhurst and Instagram @windsorlockssuperintendent, or by visiting our WLPS website at wlps.org (note: scroll to the bottom of the main page). A few of the highlights of these views can also be seen below:   Staff, Student, & Community Spotlight  Shout out to WLHS Theater’s Cast and Crew for an amazing production of Newsies!   Congratulations to WLHS Science Teacher, Melissa Adams for being selected to showcase her talent in May at the UConn Teaching and Learning Conference as a presenter.  Roll the drums….congratulations to ACES High for their outstanding achievement at last week’s competition at Western New England; 1st Place winner!  Shout out to the WLMS National Junior Honor Society for their service hours at NSS Kindergarten this past week. Amazing Girls Flag Football Kick Off no pun intended event this past week at the Dome on Day Hill Road.   FY27 Budget At the Board of Finance meeting on March 4, 2026, the BOE adopted a temporary approval of the FY27 budget on a 4-2 vote, in the amount of $37,266,369, removing the $2,500,000 in medical insurance that will sit on the town side. This temporary approval is a 9.44% increase over the FY26 budget. What does this mean? Temporary approval is done for all budgets throughout the process  Temporary approval allows the Board of Finance to work toward a final number when they set the mill rate Changes can be made by the Board of Finance before a final number is reached It is important for you to remain involved, engaged and informed as the process continues. Some key important dates: NEW - March 24, 2026 at 6:30 at Town Hall - Board of Finance may adjust budgets April 1 at 6:30 pm at Town Hall - Board of finance finalizes all budgets March 31, 2026 at 6:30 pm at Town Hall - Appeals night to the Board of Finance (if needed) April 21, 2026 at 7:00 pm at Town Hall - Public Hearing on the FY27 Budget May 19, 2026 at 7:00 pm at Town Hall - Annual Town Budget Meeting and Vote The Week Ahead Bright Spot Attention All Math Teachers! What if math class sounded more like a debate team? Check out this article by Chris Luzniak to shift your classroom from students quietly solving for “the right answer.” This strategy flips math into a space where students argue, defend, and challenge ideas. In math debates, the focus shifts from just getting answers to explaining thinking, justifying reasoning, and learning from multiple perspectives.

    Monday, Mar 23 2026

  • Thank Goodness It's Monday - March 16, 2026

    March 16, 2026 3 Year District Vision: All students will meet or exceed grade level standards Views from the District & Community A recap of views can be found on my X feed @ShawnParkhurst and Instagram @windsorlockssuperintendent, or by visiting our WLPS website at wlps.org (note: scroll to the bottom of the main page). A few of the highlights of these views can also be seen below:   Staff, Student, & Community Spotlight Shout out to WLMS musicians, Reid Mason & Genevieve Levine and talented chorus students for their selection and performances at CMEA Northern Regionals; special recognition to WLMS teachers, Mrs. St. Sauveur-Dandurand, and Mr. Gladstein for their work in leading this incredibly talented group of students.  Congratulations to WLHS Seniors named CIAC Scholar Athletes, Abigail Guyette and Peyton Smith.  Thank you to SES Staff, Students and Families for an amazing Literacy Night last week.  Shout out to WLMS Teachers, Santo Galatioto and Kristen Wesche for their work in coordinating a 2nd annual Leadership Conferences for WLMS students this past week; special thanks to our school and district leaders for sharing their knowledge with our students; extra special thanks to WLMS Administrative Assistant Danielle Thomacos for her organization to make this day such a success from start to finish. FY27 Budget At the Board of Finance meeting on March 4, 2026, the BOE adopted a temporary approval of the FY27 budget on a 4-2 vote, in the amount of $37,266,369, removing the $2,500,000 in medical insurance that will sit on the town side. This temporary approval is a 9.44% increase over the FY26 budget. What does this mean? Temporary approval is done for all budgets throughout the process  Temporary approval allows the Board of Finance to work toward a final number when they set the mill rate Changes can be made by the Board of Finance before a final number is reached It is important for you to remain involved, engaged and informed as the process continues. Some key important dates: NEW - March 18, 2026 at 6:30 at Town Hall - Board of Finance may adjust budgets March 31, 2026 at 6:30 pm at Town Hall - Appeals night to the Board of Finance (if needed) April 1, 7, and 8, 2026 at 6:30 pm at Town Hall - Board of finance finalizes all budgets April 21, 2026 at 7:00 pm at Town Hall - Public Hearing on the FY27 Budget May 19, 2026 at 7:00 pm at Town Hall - Annual Town Budget Meeting and Vote   The Week Ahead   Bright Spot High Expectations. Big Heart. Powerful Classrooms Students do their best work when they know two things: you care about them and you won’t lower the bar. This article, by Sara Gonser, highlights the powerful balance of being a warm demander, a teacher who builds trust while holding students to high expectations.

    Monday, Mar 16 2026

  • Thank Goodness It's Monday - March 9, 2026

    March 9, 2026 3 Year District Vision: All students will meet or exceed grade level standards Views from the District & Community A recap of views can be found on my X feed @ShawnParkhurst and Instagram @windsorlockssuperintendent, or by visiting our WLPS website at wlps.org (note: scroll to the bottom of the main page). A few of the highlights of these views can also be seen below:   Staff, Student, & Community Spotlight Shout out to the staff at NSS for a terrific Math Carnival Celebration. Shout out to WLHS Staff and Students for an amazing Read Across America celebration for the students from North Street School.  Shout out to NSS and specifically Principal Giovanna Testani, Teachers, Vita Beebe and Ruth Sobolewski, members of the School Based Literacy Team for their recognition from CSDE:  The Center and Literacy How, partnered through the Connecticut Literacy Model (CTLM), to work with Connecticut schools to bring family literacy to life! Through engaging, hands-on family literacy events, school facilitators share effective K–3 reading strategies that families can use at home. The North Street School in Windsor Locks has participated in Family Literacy Nights for three years. Under the leadership of Principal Giovanna Testani and her committed literacy team, the partnership has blossomed into an opportunity for the school to strengthen ties with its families through meaningful (and fun!) literacy activities and learning. On February 5, 2026, the North Street community was treated to a Family Literacy Mystery Night in which nine teams, each led by a dedicated school staff member, participated in a literacy-related scavenger hunt to discover the solution to “What Happened at North Street School!” Teams roamed the school searching for clues and returned to assemble their clues into the solution for this literacy-based mystery.  Check out the video the North Street School team put together to highlight the successful evening.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9o5kngHN_g FY27 Budget  At the Board of Finance meeting on March 4, 2026, a temporary approval of the BOE adopted FY27 budget was made by a 4-2 vote in the amount of $37,266,369 which represents a removal of the $2,500,000 medical insurance to sit on the town side. This temporary approval is a 9.44% increase over the FY26 budget. What does this mean? Temporary approval is done for all budgets throughout the process  Temporary approval allows the Board of Finance to work toward a final number when they set the mill rate Changes can be made by the Board of Finance before a final number is reached It is important for you to maintain involved, engaged and informed as the process continues. Some key important dates: March 31, 2026 at 6:30 pm at Town Hall - Appeals night to the Board of Finance (if needed) April 1, 7, and 8, 2026 at 6:30 pm at Town Hall - Board of finance finalizes all budgets April 21, 2026 at 7:00 pm at Town Hall - Public Hearing on the FY27 Budget May 19, 2026 at 7:00 pm at Town Hall - Annual Town Budget Meeting and Vote   The Week Ahead   Bright Spot

    Monday, Mar 09 2026

  • Thank Goodness It's Monday - March 2, 2026

    March 2, 2026 3 Year District Vision: All students will meet or exceed grade level standards Views from the District & Community A recap of views can be found on my X feed @ShawnParkhurst and Instagram @windsorlockssuperintendent, or by visiting our WLPS website at wlps.org (note: scroll to the bottom of the main page). A few of the highlights of these views can also be seen below:   Staff, Student, & Community Spotlight Shout out to our Facilities Team for yet again another impressive snow cleanup effort, Thank you to our incredible staff that show up every day for each other and our students; the winter has been challenging and this past week proved to be another time when the weather forecasted didn’t match up to what actually landed here in Windsor Locks; your perseverance and determination on behalf of each other and our students didn’t go unnoticed! Strategic Planning An Initial Look The first draft of our Strategic Plan 2026-2031 is ready for your review and feedback. Please visit Strategic Plan 2026-2031, watch the video presentation segment here, FY27 Budget  The Board of Education FY27 Budget was presented to the Board of Finance on February 25, 2026; thank you for those that were in attendance. The budget presentation can be viewed at wlps.org  Your presence made a difference. Some important dates to keep in mind as the process continues: March 31, 2026 at 6:30 pm - Town Hall - Board of Education Budget Appeals (if necessary) April 1, 7 & 8, 2026 at 6:30 pm - Town Hall - Finalizing of FY27 Budgets April 21, 2026 at 7:00 pm - Town Hall - Public Hearing on FY27 Budget May 19, 2026 at 7:00 pm - Town Hall - Annual Town Budget Meeting & VOTE   The Week Ahead   Bright Spot March Momentum: Chasing the Gold March always brings talk of pots of gold and lucky charms, but in our classrooms, the real gold is growth. As we move toward spring, this could be a simple moment to pause with students and ask: What is your “gold” for March? What is one academic goal you want to reach? What is one habit you want to strengthen? Students could write it on a paper “gold coin,” a sticky note, or simply capture it in a notebook. Nothing elaborate, just intentional. March is about momentum, not perfection. And sometimes the biggest Bright Spot is helping students name where they are headed next.

    Tuesday, Mar 03 2026

  • FY27 Budget Update

    Good morning, Last evening, I presented the FY27 BOE Adopted Budget to the Board of Finance; thank you to those that were in attendance in person and/or online.  Attached is a copy of the presentation if you wish to view it.    Additionally, this is also posted on our website under the budget section for your review at any time. The meeting of the Board of Finance will soon be posted on the town website as well… link here.   I appreciate and thank you for your continued involvement in the process.  As we move forward it will be important to keep our presence and involvement strong.   Important Upcoming Dates: March 31, 2026 at 6:30 pm at Town Hall - Board of Education Budget Appeals to the Board of Finance (if needed) April 1, 7 and 8, 2026 at 6:30 pm at Town Hall - Board of Finance finalizes all FY27 Budgets April 21, 2026 at 7:00 at Town Hall - Public Hearing on FY27 Budget  May 19, 2026 at 7:00 pm at Town Hall - Annual Town Budget Meeting and  VOTE Your voice matters; be informed, involved and engaged. Sincerely, Shawn Parkhurst

    Thursday, Feb 26 2026

  • Winter Diagnostic Assessment Results

    Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment Rebecca Bissonnette Executive Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment 58 South Elm Street, Windsor Locks, Connecticut 06096 Tel: (860) 292-5032 Fax: (860) 292-5039 Instagram:@rb_wlps Dear WLMS Families, Your child recently completed the Winter i-Ready Diagnostic Assessment in reading and math. You’ll be receiving your child’s individual i-Ready Report soon. To help you make sense of the report, we’ve included a short video below that explains the results and how they can support your child’s learning. It’s important to know that i-Ready results are not used for report card grades. Instead, they give teachers helpful information about your child’s strengths and areas for growth. This allows teachers to plan lessons and provide support that’s just right for each student using i-Ready results alongside classroom work and other assessments. Students also work on i-Ready Learning Path lessons each week in both reading and math. These lessons are personalized for your child and help them build the specific skills they need to grow as a learner. Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Together, we can help every child reach their full potential. Sincerely, Rebecca Bissonnette Executive Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Windsor Locks Public Schools  

    Wednesday, Feb 25 2026

  • Winter Reading Diagnostic Assessment Results

    Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment Rebecca Bissonnette Executive Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment 58 South Elm Street, Windsor Locks, Connecticut 06096 Tel: (860) 292-5032 Fax: (860) 292-5039 Instagram:@rb_wlps Dear South Families, Your child recently completed the Winter mCLASS/DIBELS Assessment in reading. You’ll be receiving your child’s individual report soon. To help you make sense of the report, we’ve included a document that walks you through the report and explains how you can help your child at home. Just click the Learn About Your Child's Report button below. It’s important to know that mCLASS/DIBELS results are not used for report card grades. Instead, they give teachers helpful information about your child’s strengths and areas for growth. This allows teachers to plan lessons and provide support that’s just right for each student using these results alongside classroom work and other assessments. Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Together, we can help every child reach their full potential. Sincerely, Rebecca Bissonnette Executive Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Windsor Locks Public Schools Learn About Your Child’s Report  

    Wednesday, Feb 25 2026

  • Winter Math Diagnostic Assessment Results

    Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment Rebecca Bissonnette Executive Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment 58 South Elm Street, Windsor Locks, Connecticut 06096 Tel: (860) 292-5032 Fax: (860) 292-5039 Instagram:@rb_wlps Dear South Families, Your child recently completed the Winter i-Ready Diagnostic Assessment in math. You’ll be receiving your child’s individual i-Ready Report soon. To help you make sense of the report, we’ve included a short video below that explains the results and how they can support your child’s learning. It’s important to know that i-Ready results are not used for report card grades. Instead, they give teachers helpful information about your child’s strengths and areas for growth. This allows teachers to plan lessons and provide support that’s just right for each student using i-Ready results alongside classroom work and other assessments. Students also work on i-Ready Learning Path lessons in math each week. These lessons are personalized for your child and help them build the specific skills they need to grow as a learner. Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Together, we can help every child reach their full potential. Sincerely, Rebecca Bissonnette Executive Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Windsor Locks Public Schools  

    Wednesday, Feb 25 2026